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THINGS DEAD CHURCHS WON’T TEACH YOU. (Revelation 3:1-22). Aim: To identify and to reject error. To rescue people from error. To appreciate sound doctrines in a fundamental church. To leave churches that teach error, or not teaching these truths. Question: What will dead, modernist, lukewarm churches rarely teach? 1) Salvation. That you can be saved today by calling on Christ to save you. (Romans 10:13). 2) Soul winning. How to win people to Christ. How to train soul winners. (Proverbs 11:30). 3) Separation from error and false doctrines. (Romans 16:17). 4) Need to rebuke error and not to tolerate it. (Ephesians 5:11; II Timothy 4:1-3). 5) New Evangelical and Ecumenical errors will destroy your life’s work for Christ. (II John 8-11). 6) Calvinist errors. (II Peter 3:9 ‘God is not willing that any should perish.’). 7) Evolution’s errors. God created a young earth in 6 days 6000 years ago. (Exodus 20:11). 8) Charismatic errors summarized by T.R.A.S.H.. (I Corinthians 14:21-25). 9) Modern Bible Version errors and the inerrancy of Scripture. (Psalm 12:6,7). 10) Infant Sprinkling and Confirmation errors. (Acts 8:37). 11) Roman Catholic errors. (Revelation 17). 12) Muslim errors. (I John 2:22). 13) Rock Music errors. (Ephesians 5:19; Ecclesiastes 7:5). 14) Soul Sleep error. 15) Rewards and crowns are available to believers in heaven. (Revelation 22:12). 16) Judgment Seat of Christ. (II Corinthians 5:10; I Corinthians 3:10-15). 17) 70 Week Prophecy and 7 Year Tribulation (Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:21,22). 18) Rapture (I Thessalonians 4:16,17); Millennium (Revelation 20). 19) Book of Revelation simply and clearly explained. 20) Seven Dispensations that world history consists of. 21) Future conversion of Israel. (Romans 11:1,2,25-27). 22) The Lake of Fire and literal hell fire for Christ rejecters. (Rev. 20:14,15; Mark 9:44,46,48). 23) Personal devil who opposes and seeks to destroy us. (I Peter 5:8). 24) Security of the believer. (John 10:28; I Peter 1:4,5). 25) Importance of printing and distributing Gospel tracts and books. 26) Preaching against sin, rebuking error. (II Timothy 4:2-4). 27) Fornication and sodomy are sins. (I Thessalonians 4:3-8). 28) Spiritual warfare over people’s souls. (Ephesians 6:10-18). 29) Importance of sound doctrine and rightly dividing the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15). 30) Cessation of miraculous, personal gifts of prophecy, tongues, knowledge, miracles, apostle, prophet and healing gifts in the first Century. (I Corinthians 13:8-15). 31) Reality of all the Bible’s miracles. 32) Dinosaurs lived from Creation to the Flood, and were destroyed in the Flood. (Job 40,41). 33) Training preachers and church planters. (Acts 13:5). 34) Door-to-door soul-winning. (Acts 5:42). 35) What is the Gospel? (I Corinthians 15:1-4). 36) Abstaining from alcohol (Proverbs 20:1), pornography, touching women (I Cor. 7:1,2), etc.. 37) Young ladies dress modestly. (I Timothy 2:9). 38) No female pastors, preachers or deacons. (I Timothy 3:2). 39) Long hair on men is wrong. (II Corinthians 11:14). 40) Church run by pastoral authority. (Hebrews 13:7,17,24). See “apostles and elders” in Acts. 41) Home Schooling using ACE curriculum. Evil influence of State schools. (Proverbs 19:27). 42) Child raising principles and child discipline. (Proverbs 22:6). 43) Separate from bad peer groups. (Psalm 1:1-3). reprinted with permission from Pastor Keith Piper. https://www.libertybaptistchurch.org.au/

Job 1:10 - "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land." As God built a hedge around Job, which limited Satan, so today He will do the same for any child of God who applies the blood to a given situation. The blood is the hedge that stops the Destroyer. Revelation 12:11 - "And they overcame him by the BLOOD of the Lamb and by the WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY, and they did not love their lives to the death." Exodus 12:7,13 - "And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side-posts and on the upper door post of the houses....And the blood shall be to you and for a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt." Confessions: I OVERCOME ALL FEAR, DEPRESSION, UNBELIEF, WAVERING AND HALFHEARTEDNESS, DISCOURAGEMENT, TEMPTATION, AND SICKNESS BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS AND THE WORD OF MY TESTIMONY. MY SOUL IS FILLED WITH LOVE AS I GAZE ON JESUS' PRECIOUS BLOOD. BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE BLOOD IN MY HEART, I APPLY THE BLOOD WITH MY MOUTH OVER THE DOORPOSTS OF MY LIFE. Luke 5:4 - "When Jesus had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, 'Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."' Luke 5 is a great example of the Church in our day. We have been fishing all night and have not caught much. Many of us have not ventured out of the shallow water, out of the zones of safety and comfortableness, to find the fish where they are. The fish are in the deep water; they are outside the Church, and outside our opinions and prejudices. As we are obedient to God's call and venture into the deep water and into relationships with people "on the streets," we will be overwhelmed by the response and will need to network with other churches to accommodate the great numbers of people who will come to Jesus. Matthew 4:19 - And Jesus said unto them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." "Then, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won't become bored with being a Christian, nor become spiritually dull and indifferent, but you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience." - Hebrews 6:12 (Living Bible) Now is the time to press into the Lord for Fresh Empowerment and Activation for harvest in the coming season. We need to see a tremendous outpouring of the Power of the Holy Spirit for our current Time. As we go into this season we pray to see a notable increase in the Power of the Lord from the Fire of His Presence that will cause many to turn to Him. We need to pray for these seven blessings: 1. Greater Power 2. Greater Anointing 3. Greater Favor 4. Greater Flow of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit 5. Greater Evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit 6. Greater Doors and Influence through the favor of the Lord. 7. Greater Harvest Albert Finch Ministry

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." - 1 Peter 1:3 The Lord is redefining His Church and calling them out of a place of stagnancy and redundancy into a place of passion. Have you ever felt as if you were running around in circles, going through churchy motions but getting nowhere? When we lose sight of His Kingdom, our lives can be easily reduced to "playing church" which is no fun after awhile. Jesus only spoke of His Church – or Ekklesia roughly 3 times and mainly in the book of Matthew (Matthew 16:18, 18:17). The Lord's original idea for His called-out assembly (Church) -- a supernatural army of sons and daughters pulsing with a passionate expression of His Kingdom on the earth. In order to see the fruit of Jesus on the earth, we must remember to live from the Kingdom of Heaven. The Church is not meant to be a box in which we contain and theorize Heaven. WE ARE GOD'S AMBASSADORS HERE ON EARTH Every believer has the potential to wake up and smell the glory -- that is, recognize who they are in Christ as sons and daughters. The Church of Jesus Christ should be a place of equipping the saints in: who they are in Christ, their right standing with God, and walking in the Spirit. Now they are ready to understand their CALLING in Christ and be propelled into their Kingdom destinies. The Church is not meant to be a place where we get trained to go through the motions, it's mean to be a gathering and equipping of the representatives of the Kingdom of Heaven. As we ascend into passionate, Kingdom-living which results in an effective, powerful Church as well as personal life, we practice the operation of the gifts that in us such as faith, miracles, exhortation, etc. CAMP AROUND THE CLOUD "So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped out." - Numbers 9:16-17 Kingdom people are led by the Spirit. We can experience an incredible stagnancy and/or burn out if we do not camp around the cloud of His glory. If you find yourself feeling stagnant or unproductive, challenge yourself to step out in faith by praying for someone or discipling a new believer in their spiritual growth. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

“1Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away …. 9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11” (Revelation 21:1-4 and 21:9-11, KJV). 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1st Corinthians 15:52-54, KJV). I have heard of many descriptions of the city, which is mentioned at Revelation 21:2 and 10, which descends down from God out of heaven, as a literal cubic stone structure of enormous dimensions. But such an understanding is completely mistaken, as related verses (verses 2 and 9), describes this city as the bride, the wife of the lamb, which is an obvious description of the church, albeit, using poetic language. The context is the second coming of Christ, and it is either at this glorious event (or very shortly after it), that the deceased saints of God, who had been ruling and reigning with Christ, as disincarnate spirits (that is as “souls” Revelation 20:4), accompany Christ back to this earth, in order to then receive their now resurrected and glorified bodies (1st Corinthians 15:52-53). This happens at the “last trump” (1st Corinthians 15:52), and when this happens, death itself ends, which prevents the interpretation that this passage is referring to a thousand year earthly Millennial reign upon this earth, at the end of which there will be a war with more death then taking place (1st Corinthians 15:54). So this “last trump” must refer to the second coming of Christ, it is also alluded to at (1st Thessalonians 4:16), where it is associated with “the day of the Lord” (1st Thessalonians 5:2), which can only imply the second coming of Jesus Christ.

He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. - John 8:44 We have to remember that Satan is the father of lies. He is a murderer from the beginning and dwells in falsehood. He never wants the glory to go to Jesus Christ but rather twists the truth and deceives those in the Lord’s work to take glory to themselves. Satan is also the master counterfeiter who has been deceiving God’s people since the beginning. He spoke to Eve and deceived her by twisting the truth of God saying, “Has God indeed said?” Such twisting of the truth is his normal activity. Since the earliest days of the apostles, even with our Lord himself, there were deceivers and false brethren present: those who secretly come into God’s flock for personal gain and to infiltrate the liberty of the believers, betrayers, deceivers, false brethren, false prophets, and those desiring preeminence among the saints (3 John 1:9). Diotrephes and one's like him did not seek honour in the church as much as sought his own truth, his own way and seperated himself from the doctrines of the Apostles and all the other Churches. He was stubborn to think he was right and all others were wrong. A false teacher is always who is in admidst but then seeks to draw people "out of" towards themselves. Just like satan, these false teachers do not have, "the truth in them." One key to understand the working of God versus Satan in a meeting of believers is the emphasis put on the Son of God. Those that worship, honor, and glorify the Holy Spirit more than Jesus Christ are not led by the Holy Spirit to do that. The Holy Spirit will always honor Jesus Christ; thus the true working of the Spirit can be distinguished in measure. The Scripture states: “He shall not speak of himself” (John 16:13). All early Church creed statements always elevate the work of the cross and the incarnation of the Son of God. In the end times, there will be an influx of those in the Church teaching doctrines of demons to deceive even the elect of God. There will be many false teachers who claim to be of the truth but are not. The most dangerous weapon against the Church is not persecution, but deception. One key feature of these deceptions is that there is something new offered, when rather we should be seeking to believe the truth that is old and that which the Church has held to from the beginning.

I have observed quite a number of developing trends in our churches that beg the frightening question of who we are worshiping. Common among those trends are the tendency of persons to spend more time on their cell phones than they do in worship and the tendency to 'make an entrance' when entering the sanctuary. I can't help but ask myself - What kind of message are we sending to the world as Christians? I'll begin this discussion with an understanding of the word 'worship'. Worship is derived from the Old English word 'Woerthship' which means to give worth to something. So when we worship God, we give worth to Him. Sadly, it appears that the saints are giving worth to other things in the house of the Lord. Here I will identify two obvious reasons that are rather disturbing to fathom but as it is a reality within the churches I will make mention of them today. The 'cellphone syndrome' We all need to communicate with others over the phone for different reasons. But I find it very disrespectful for the saints to perpetually excuse themselves from the sermon to be on the outside messaging and talking for an extensive period. Not that it is anybody's business to know the nature of these conversations, but when it happens more often than not I'm afraid that we are sending the wrong message to our unsaved visitors. Do we not show reverence to the Lord anymore? I especially observe this trend among our young people of which group I am a part. I fail to believe that our young people use their discretion for they excuse themselves in large numbers at once. It appears that the cellphones get the 'worth' that should have been given to God and therefore it automatically becomes the god that is worshiped. Our God has feelings too. I am more concerned about His feelings than I am with the reputation of the church. For many saints, the time spent in the house of the Lord is the longest and sometimes only time spent with God. If the latter is the case then all the more reason why He deserves our undivided attention. Let's face it, three hours of prayer and worship is the least we can give to God considering all that He does for us on a daily basis. The church needs to be careful not to provoke the Holy Spirit and not to send the wrong message to those who are lost and in need of our guidance. The problem with 'making an entrance' By now many of us would have realized that persons go to church for different reasons; to spectate, to see friends, to wear a nice suit and a few to seek God. There are many other reasons but these are the few I could think of today. Having said that, there are many within the church who perpetually make an entrance under the influence of a 'disruptive spirit' I suppose. This trend may not be very evident in the larger churches, but as my church is small the trend is becoming more noticeable. Saints are not only expected to be present for sermons but are expected to be there on time. It is very distasteful when visitors arrive in the sanctuary before the members do and to make matters worse, our visitors are distracted each time someone walks through the aisle to take a seat. What about respecting the time of the Holy Spirit? I understand that anyone can be late but when the same persons have heads spinning each week, their actions shift from just being late to 'making an entrance'. Leaders are often times included and I don't just mean Pastors, Bishops, Deacons etc. I mean any person within the church body who demonstrates his leadership abilities in even the smallest possible way. Why are persons making an entrance? It is certainly not because of a desire to be noticed by God but rather 'god', who is seated somewhere in the sanctuary. This is one of the reasons why it is increasingly harder to convince an unsaved or even a backslider to return to God. These groups of persons are understandably confused by the double standards that exist within the church. No wonder there is a growing number of non-denominational Christians in our societies today. The church has a voice and we want to be heard, but let us consider addressing some of the ongoing issues among ourselves before we advocate for modesty and decency anywhere else. These are two growing trends that I have observed in church. Have you observed any other?

James 4:6 - "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." If we are divided in our hearts from other churches, if we instinctively look down on other christians or if we are at all self-promoting in attitude, we are walking in pride. As such, the Spirit that stands to resist our endeavors is not demonic -- it's God. Affirmations: I WALK IN LOVE AND HUMILITY, I'M NOT TOUCHY, FRETFUL OR RESENTFUL!! WHEN I WALK, GOD WALKS. HIS HANDS ARE IN MY HANDS. I HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST. GOD IS NOT A MILLION MILES AWAY. HE'S INSIDE ME RIGHT NOW. HE'S MY FATHER AND I'M HIS VERY OWN SON. I'M A JOINT HEIR WITH JESUS AND MY BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST. I AM WALKING IN THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN ITSELF. John 14:2 - "In My Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you." Love is the inclination,strength, and power for the soul in making its way to God -- for love unites it with God. The more degrees of love it has, the more deeply it enters into God and centers itself in Him. A stronger love is a more unitive love, and we can understand in this manner the many dwelling places Jesus declared were in His Father's house. Song of Solomon 1:5 - "I am black, but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon." THE CURTAINS OF SOLOMON REPRESENT YOUR HUMANITY WHICH CONCEALS THE WORD OF GOD MADE FLESH WITHIN YOU. HE HAS CAUSED YOU TO PARTAKE OF HIS BEAUTY; HE HAS CONCEALED HIS DIVINITY IN YOUR HUMANITY - YOU ARE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE CURTAINS OF SOLOMON BECAUSE THE CROSS MAKES YOU LIKE YOUR BELOVED (JESUS). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Isaiah 4:1 - "In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, 'We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace.'" We have taken hold of the world and we have taken hold of clever ideas, but the seven women (seven churches -- see Revelation 2 and 3) are about to lay hold of their Beloved. The longing of the Church is for Him. We will want to be called by His great Name. The splendor of His beauty draws us as a partner to co-labor with Him. OUR MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION There is coming a Magnificent Obsession which will grip our hearts. Our obsession will be to lay hold of Christ and not ever let Him go! Like the Shulamite woman in the Song of Songs who, when she found her Beloved, held Him tight and wouldn't let Him go! THE REVELATION OF CHRIST IN US The unveiling of Christ within us is the most explosive truth ever to hit the Church, bigger than any movement, conference or teaching! It fuels the flames of our pasion to allow Christ to live through us and be all He longs for us to become. The glorious truth of His coming will capture us and compel us to lay hold of the On Man, Jesus Christ. It is not only the timing of His return that must consume us, but how He finds us (operating in His CALLING on our life) when He returns. It is not if it is near or far, but rather if we are filed with faith, hope, and love. LAY HOLD OF JESUS CHRIST As we trim our lamps and go outside the realm of familiarity and meet Him we encounter the Bridegroom -- our Magnificent Obsession. Hie is eternal life! First Timothy 6:12 says, "Lay hold on eternal life." This means to take hold of, to grasp, to seize, to cling to! His FULL glory pours into us. To lay hold of Jesus is to becme a mature vessel of honor that He can use in the CALLING He has destined for each of us. "...I live by the FAITH OF the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) KJV By His faith we fully experience oneness with Jesus and the explosive power of his resurrection working in us. We will be one with Him in His sufferings and we will be one with Him in His death (our death to self). Only then will we be able to experience complete oneness with Him in His resurrection so that we may reach the DESTINY which Jesus has called us to fulfill! (see Philippians 3:10-12) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

John 1:16 - "And of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." THE LIFE OF GRACE FAR SURPASSES MERE MENTAL BELIEF IN THE TRUTHS OF GOD- IT FREES THE SPIRIT TO FLY POWERFULLY ABOVE ALL THINGS, WITH A KIND OF INNER LIFE THAT IS BEYOND DESCRIPTION. Matthew 7:7 - "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." There is a paralyzing passivity so prevalent in the Church today.We must stir ourselves out of this stupor, as Scripture instructs us to do. We must rouse to reality and awake (Romans 13:11-14 AMP). A non-confrontational attitude is not the role and the responsibility of God's end-time warriors! We must awaken. Now is the time to find God's PURPOSE for your life and the CALLING you were destined to fulfill. Affirmation: I SHUT THE DOOR ON ALL THE DISTRACTIONS OF THIS LIFE, THE CARES OF THIS WORLD, THE BUSYNESS OF MY DAILY AFFAIRS AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD KEEP ME FROM PRESSING INTO GOD'S PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE. Philippians 3:14 - "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Matthew 13:45,46 - "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it." Observation: TO PURCHASE THIS EXPENSIVE PEARL, WHICH REPRESENTS THE KINGDOM, I HAVE TO SELL EVERYTHING TO HAVE ENOUGH TO BUY IT - IN OTHER WORDS I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY ENTIRE LIFE TO SERVE HIM AND HIS CAUSE WITHOUT HOLDING ANYTHING BACK FOR MYSELF, LIVING COMPLETELY FOR HIM. 2 Corinthians 5:15 - "He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 17:2,3 - "And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus." The word for transfigured in Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2 is the same Greek word word for renewal in Romans 12:2. (Strongs 3339) In this transfigured moment- Jesus is the prototype of the glorious church in this moment. Moses was known for AUTHORITY and Elijah for POWER -- these are the two realms that Jesus released over his disciples. This is the proptotype of what will happen with every believer who are to come to power and authority to effect and bring about change. Affirmation: I STEP OUT OF THE BOX CALLED "TIME" AND LIVE IN THE SPIRIT. I LEARN HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE AND LIVE IN HIS PRESENCE. I RISE ABOVE THE PRESSURES OF TIME AND WALK IN THE ETERNAL LIFE OF GOD. Philippians 3:14 - "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Observation: AFTER LEAVING EGYPT, ALL THE EXPERIENCES THAT ISRAEL WENT THROUGH WERE TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE HIGH CALLING OF REPRESENTING THE LORD ON EARTH. I TOO, HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS HIGHEST OF CALLINGS, AND EVERYTHING I GO THROUGH IS INTENDED TO PREPARE ME FOR IT. Deuteronomy 31:6 - "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." WHAT I KEEP SAYING I EVENTUALLY BELIEVE. Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." ALBERT FINCH MINSITRY

As the Lord taught in the Parable of the Sower, many will depart when testing comes. Many depart from Church, and many are now even departing from pursuing their CALLING in Christ when the tests come. You can never pass a test by quitting. 1 Peter 1:7 AMP - "So that the genuinenes of your faith may be tested, your faith which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire....." OUR CONNECTION TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER The Cross is a vertical post that represents our connection to God and a horizontal one that represents our connection to one another. One thing that taking up our cross means is that we must have both of these in our lives. Of course, our connection to God eclipses the importance of our connection to one another and must always be kept first. But if we have this and keep it first, we will also have the other. As John also wrote, we cannot love God who we do not see if we do not love our brother who we can see (see I John 4:20-21). John 20:21 -- "Just as the Father has sent me forth so I am sending you." This is certainly a command of Jesus for the Body of Christ to meet the needs (both temporal and spiritual) of new believers so they may indeed advance in the faith. The humbling service of DISCIPLING a new believer into: WHO HE IS IN CHRIST, HIS RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD, AND WALKING IN THE SPIRIT is the most valuable Christian service someone can minister to someone who has just had the "born again" experience. OLD THOUGHT PROCESSES In order for the church to advance into her destiny there are old thought processes that need to be dismantled: 1. The idea that higher spiritual advancement and development is reserved for the clergy. 2. The idea that spiritual training and discipling is the sole responsibility of the pastor and/or elders. 3. The idea that it takes years in the faith to be able to DISCIPLE other believers. 4. The idea that the only thing the laity is to be involved in is Church programs and listening to sermons. Submitting to DISCIPLESHIP training develops a "personal ministry to others consciousness" in the believer as well as promotes unity and brotherly love in the fellowship of the Body of Christ. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 16:16,18. - "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And I say also unto thee, 'That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.'" Observation: THE ROCK THAT THE LORD IS BUILDING HIS CHURCH UPON IS THE REVELATION FROM THE FATHER OF WHO JESUS IS. I MUST HAVE A PERSONAL REVELATION FROM THE FATHER OF WHO JESUS IS. HE MUST BE MY OWN KING AND SAVIOR. Acts 4:33 - "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." THE POWER OF GOD THAT I EXPERIENCE IN LIFE IS MORE UP TO ME THAN IT IS UP TO THE LORD. IT'S MY ASSIGNMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE THE WORD ABIDING IN ME. Psalm 145:2 - "Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name forever and ever." WHAT I DO DAILY DETERMINES WHAT I BECOME PERMANENTLY. Proverbs 8:34 - "Blessed is the man that heareth Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

1 Kings 19:9 - "Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'” So the word of the Lord came to him “what are you doing here Elijah”. This is one of the most important questions God will ever ask us. His questions probes the reality of our spiritual state. He is asking “how did your service to me become dry and desolate?” He wants us to know that when we fail to esteem Him as our first love, we will always find that a desert awaits us. God never intended for religion. He intended to have a people called by His name to steward, be productive, and carry His presence to those around us and to the nations. QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF: 1. Does sitting in a church service each week hearing a good message and worshipping together give me all of what I need? 2. Am I living my experience of being part of the Church through two hours on Sunday and maybe a home cell group on Wednesday evening ie. is this the only thing that defines my spiritual development in the Kingdom? 3. Am I active in my thoughts and communications with the Father in my everyday life? 4. Am I being transformed by His presence? 5. Am I "asking, knocking, and seeking" to discover my destiny in Christ? 6. Am I personally discipling others to equip them for discipling new Christians in the Church body? 7. Do I believe that I can change the world? Luke 16:16 - "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." This realm of God’s Spirit does not come without “pressing” – without contending. The first thing about pressing is seeking. Pressing into it means there is a passionate pursuit of God in prayer. The word “to seek” means to diligently look for and search out earnestly until the object of the search is located. It is as crying out and hungering for the presence of God. AFFIRMATIONS: God is bringing my life to a new beginning. I press into and lay hold of the kingdom of heaven in an aggressive way. I have a burning heart of fiery witness and passion when it comes to exhorting others in their walk with God. I repent from trying to do God's will without abiding in His presence. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

I am a 21 year old University student and in a dilemma. My parents met in church. It's a fact I've always liked. My mom has always been very open with me about everything ever since I can remember. when I was 2.5 she went abroad to work in a different country so that we could earn more money becasue the eastern european country i was living in really did not have good living conditions. I stayed there with my relatives, grandparents and aunt. My dad is a storng believer and although he also lived there he never really took care of me so I don't know what it's like to have a real father daughter bond. My mom didn't completely vanish, she was doing it all for me and came back every 3 or 6 months to see me. However, family friends about my mom's age have told me that when I was about 4, I used to go up to them and say things like: "you're my mother" and I remember getting attached to them very easily, which is weird by itself. when I was about 6 my mom took me with her, she got a divorce form my dad who never worked and never helped around the house or anything, and I've been living with her ever since. until I went to University two years ago, but still spend quite a bit of time living with her and her now boyfriend over the holidays. My mom used to tell me about God ever since I can remember. And although I have always firmly believed in Him and known about him I somehow did not want my mom to be the one telling me things about God. I know it sounds awful, but even when I was very little i can remember her wanting to stop talking about it, I did pray and believe in God but it felt like something so private to me, and something blocked me from talking to my mom about God. When I went to highschool I had an incredible teacher, who i was really interested in for some reason, only to find out later that she too was a believer. We got on really well and she would talk to me about God and i loved it. My teacher's parents and 6 siblings are all strong believers and they are such a wonderful family, and i kin of wish i had a family like that too. I loved talking to my teacher about God and was so happy she was a Christian too. She was the one who started calling me BatZion too, and I can tell she really cares about me. She does not have any children of her own and sometimes she can get quite protective of me. After graduation she started taking me to different churches around town, also with her family and it was so nice. My mom, although a believer, somehow doesn't go to church, so i've never been in a very church going family. I went to university abroad, and really enjoyed my independence. I'm a girl who has always been very independent because i don't have any siblings and it's always been just my mom and me. I like dancing when i go out with friends but I don't get drunk at all. I get really good grades and speak 5 languages, so i'm very studious. When i went to university it was so easy to go to church, becuase i could do whatever I wanted, my mom was not there and did not know every little thing I did, and i kind of enjoyed it, even though i do like spending time with her when i'm around her. Whenever I'm home however, going to church is quite a struggle. I don't really have any church going friends my age at home. And there is my teacher who i sometimes go to church with, but whenever I know that my mom knows I am going to church, I feel so blocked, it's like I really can't deal with her even knowing i go to church. I just somehow want it to be a thing I do and talk about with other people. Today it was so bad, i was getting ready to go to church and really wanted to, but my mom was home and she asked where I was going and whether I was going to church, so i somehow ended up not going, because i just wanted to go without her knowing. I know this sounds so weird, and there surely must be something wrong in this? It's so nice to see whole families going to church together, why can't I be open about it with my mom and why do i find it so strange to go to church with her? have any of you had similar experiences or are any of you parents whose kids act similarly and how do you deal with it? Sorry for the really long post but would be great to hear from some of you! Thank you!

Joshua 6:2 - "And the Lord said unto Joshua, See. I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king therof, and the mighty men of valour." When the children of Israel entered the Promised Land ten cities stood as obstacles in their way. The first of these cities was Jericho. Israel was not yet an army -- they were simply a group of desert wanderers with a promise. They had no army. Their resources had worn thin from years in the desert. THEIR ONLY WEAPON OF WARFARE WAS THEIR OBEDIENCE TO GOD Joshua 6:20 - "So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city." The Church stands in a similar posture. We are facing a Jericho that is standing in the way. The world systems are unstable. Financial fear is trying to lure the people of God into its fear. There a lot of walls standing in the way of promise. God is positioning His Church to bring down those walls just as He did in Jericho. Those walls will not fall by human wisdom and reasoning. Another church program will not do it. Only the shout of grace will bring it down. The shout of grace in obedience to God was the weapon of supernatural warfare for Israel. When we shout "grace" we are making a statement that unless God shows up we won't be able to move ahead. STANDING BEFORE OUR JERICO WALLS Today as we stand before the walls of our Jericho, we shout out loud the word, "Grace." With that shout of grace will come the dismantling of the walls of those encampments that stand in the way of the promise of God: Gather your mounting bills and shout grace over them. Shout grace into your future. Shout grace over a wayward child. Shout grace over every obstacle that stands in the way of your vision and calling. Stand on the high places of your city and shout grace over the broken and lost. Once we shout the grace of God -- we walk straight ahead and see the glory of God. Under our feet will be the remains of fear and impossibility. Zechariah 4:7 - "What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'" ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Hey everyone, I wanted to ask what was your experience in the past being with a traditional church or visiting one? Were both traditional churches (Orthodox & Catholic) friendly upon your visit or if you grew up in the church was there drama or other stuff going on around you? Reason why I'm asking is because I'm from an Orthodox Church and have taken up the curiosity of visiting other churches to hear other believers opinions upon the traditional churches, etc. I have heard many positive and negative things about the two and I would like to hear yours as well. God Bless!

"And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation....And these signs will accompany those who believe; in my name they will cast out demons...they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover.' And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it.'" - Mark 16:15,17-19 Jesus delivered a spiritual force of faith that we can release, through revelation, in the Word of God – which will produce in our life the God-quality of living. FAITH HAS TO BE ACTIVATED - BE A CONTENDER This spiritual force of faith will not have the same measure of power for the passive as it will for the contender – the champion. Neither is it a faith, but it is THE FAITH; so the definition of how it works must be predominately examined in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and the early Church. If He operated in a faith that worked expeditiously, accelerated and without limits, and then handed that over to men and women – then it is His intention for us to safeguard and keep that faith in our life. Why? Because we cannot live the way God wants us to live without implementing the power that God has given to us. That is why you have chosen not to be just an attender, but an earnest contender. THE ANSWER TO THE WORLD What kind of answer is He? Jesus is the answer for the world, for every problem in the world, for every handicap in the world, for every limitation in the world! Make up your mind to be a contender and not just an attender! We need to demonstrate that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Who is going to make the right choices and choose to believe that He is the answer? Whether it's a broken back, whether it's someone in a coma, whether it's a generational experience of object poverty, whether it's a mental disorder, whether it's nations gone amok, whether it's economies that are unstable; it does not matter what the problems are – Jesus is the answer to the world! But in order for that answer to work, FAITH HAS TO BE ACTIVATED because faith is the access to the mercy of God. BLIND BARTIMAEUS There was a man that didn't even own a Bible, couldn't even read, but he had enough sense to know that although he was born blind what he heard about Jesus was the truth. So blind Bartimaeus "began to cry out and say, "'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'" - (Mark 10:47-48). In other words he began to say, "I will not be a pretender. I will not be an attender, but I will be a contender, Jesus Son of David have mercy on me." And he began to shout like a radical. God is not looking for a quiet people, He's not looking for a passive people, He's not looking for an inactive people; He's looking for a radical people who will contend for their miracle in God. Bartimaeus didn't know; he hadn't even been to one intensified training session. But he had one ounce of sense in him and he knew that, Jesus was the answer to his problem. BE THE CONTENDER - BE THE CHAMPION What's the world's problem? Many are either bound up, torn up or in a mess. But if somebody would lead them to their solution -- Jesus -- and to the anointing that is in the Word which will take the burden off of their shoulders and the yoke off their neck, like Bartimaeus, they can have enough sense to contend after the reward of what God has. There are men and women rising up to raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out devils and invade the world with the most powerful Name! The Name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of the things in Heaven and earth and under the earth. Stop saying: "Well, let's get down to reality." No! Let's get up to revelation! AFFIRMATIONS: I am not going to sit on the sidelines and allow the enemy to limit me. I am not going to live in repetition. I am of the end-time generation of God. I contend -- I fight for the faith that was delivered for the saint's safekeeping. I am the champion God created me to be. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Why are thier Mid week Services in Protestant Faith Traditions been to a few some are Worship some Bible study some some Prayer Meeting why are they done different some have seprate Bible Study and Prayer Meeting Services.

Well should Christians Celebrate Both the Sabbath and Sunday Church Worship,as practiced today in Christian Faith Traditions? or should we Celebrate each day as a Sabbath Rest Spiritual Worship Celebration in Our Lord Jesus Christ?

I read this today and wanted to get your thoughts... What do you think of this? Does this sort of thing happen in your church? God bless, GE If a church doesn’t want our baby when she is quiet and cute, they don’t want us. Do you have any immediate red flags when you are looking for a new church for your kids? http://www.minivanministries.com/church/let-the-children-come-to-me-or-at-least-to-church/

The End Times - According to Peter - Part One ( part 2 is here ) While I generally do not think of the post-trib rapture position as an interpretation of scripture (I think of it as a collection of events described in scripture and merely stated as an online), there are those who would and do say that it is one of many interpretations. Certainly it is one of many understandings, I just happen to believe it is likely to be a nearly correct, or mostly correct understanding among many misunderstandings. What follows, however, is an interpretation. Here, I am examining words of Peter, and drawing from them, what I believe to be reasonable assumptions, but that is all they are. Matthew 24-25 is the most thoroughly developed passage in scripture which gives a chronological accounting of end times events. There, the greatest authority we could hope to have speaks of these events in response to the question: "WHEN will these things be, and WHAT will be the sign of YOUR COMING and of the END of the AGE." My friends who are fond of advancing the pre-tribulation rapture theory, tell me that God's dealings with mankind can be broken down into different dispensations, and that this sermon by Jesus (often referred to as the Olivet Discourse) was directed to a different dispensation (not that of the Church age of Grace), and was intended for the Jews. Some tell me that the Church Age began at Acts chapter 2, when the Holy Spirit came upon the church at Pentecost, a few tell me the church age began with the church going out into the world, preaching the gospel, which is roughly the same thing. This dispensational view of things seems to have been developed by John Nelson Darby in the early 1800s, and spread largely due to the Schofield Reference Bible in the early 1900s. From there is spread into U.S. seminaries and then into the pulpits until it had become a commonly accepted idea in the churches of the west. I mention this dispensational theory, because if has an influence on how people read and understand the Bible. It is a filter, a set of colored glasses, through which many interpret the Bible, perhaps especially the book of Revelation. To be fair, most of us, whether we know it or not, or can admit it or not, probably view many of these things through some sort of preconception. We bring certain beliefs or prejudices to the text with us. Many read the Bible through Darby's dispensational lenses because that is how they were taught in their churches and books they have read etc. My own prejudice is that I read the Bible through the lens of Matthew 24 primarily, so this influences how I understand the bible also. Peter, never heard of Darby nor dispensationalism, but he was there for the lecture in Matthew 24. Since this is an examination on things Peter had to say on the end times, it seemed appropriate to bring up dispensationalism, since Peter had some things to say that might affect some of dispensationalism's notions. The context of Acts, chapter 1, is that Jesus had already been crucified, and paid for the sins of believers, and personally, I would have to say that makes a better marker for the beginning of the church. However, Acts 1 notes the following: 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” I would agree with our dispensational brethren, that the church began at least by the time the Spirit came to fill believers, if not before. In verses 6-8 we see: 6 Then they gathered around Him and asked Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth.” So, there Jesus told them that knowing the times and dates, was not really their business. However, Matthew 24-25, was about knowing the equence of events and the signs of His future coming. He warned them not to be deceived, and gave them signs that believers could use to avoid deception. So Jesus had already given them instruction about the order of events to come, even if He did not given the them the actual time in which they would come. Now, in Acts 1:9-11, we see something else stated: 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Take note that what is said there, is that Jesus would return the same way as He left. Now, if He left by ascending up into the sky and disappeared into a cloud, is it not reasonable to assume, that when he returns that He will be seen descending from the sky, out of the clouds? So, was Matthew 24 etc, intended for the Jews only, and not intended to be understood as concerning the church? Let's look further into some of the things which Peter said on the topic. In as much as Peter's Sermon in Acts, Chapters 1 & 2 was indisputably happening in the age of the church, regardless of whether one buys into the notion of dispensations or not, we can take what Peter says, as relevant to the church. In fact, in Acts 2:46&47, Luke says: 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Notice "those who were being saved", is that not a description of the church? Since Peter's sermon is therefore, applicable to the church, it behooves us to note some of the things Peter tells us. Now, in Acts chapter 2, just after the crowd is drawn to the curiosity of the disciples speaking in tongues, notice what Peter says about the event: 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ So, there we just saw that Peter rightly noted that the Old Testament commented on the last days. The old testament points out that in the last days, God would pour out his Spirit on people. Not only that, but Peter says that this event at Pentecost, is a fulfillment of what Joel said. This means, therefore, that Joel was speaking of the so called (among dispensationalists) Church Age. Joel himself, described this as the last days. Notice what is included in what Peter pointed out from the prophet Joel's words in verse 20 of Acts 2: "The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord." If the sun is darkened and the moon turned to blood before the day of the Lord, then we can be assured that the day of the Lord, is an event that follows the signs of these celestial events. It is interesting to note therefore, what Jesus had said back in Matthew 24: 29 “Immediately after the distress (or as many translations say "tribulation) of those days ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. We have already seen that Peter sees himself as in the last days spoken of by the prophet Joel and that this period of time would conclude with the day of the Lord. We also noted that the signs that would proceed the day of the Lord, match up with what Jesus said would happen after the tribulation, namely cosmic disturbances seen in the darkening of the Sun and the Moon (Matthew 24:29). Peter quoted Joel as saying: "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." It seems apparent then, that it was Peter's expectation, that the church should continue in it's task of evangelism, through the end of the tribulation, when the cosmic signs appear, and the day of the Lord begins. Peter, having been present at the teaching which Jesus gave on the Mount of Olives in Matt. 24, would have heard what we see recorded in Matt 24:9-14: 9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. This points out the gospel was to be preached right up to the end: "and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." So, what we have here in sequence is: Jesus death on the cross His ascension into Heaven the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost the spread of the Gospel the tribulation (people being persecuted, killed and hated because of Jesus) the darkening of the Sun and the Moon evangelism continuing right up to this time Christ returning visibly in the clouds (just as we noted in Acts 1:9-11 and in Mat 24:30) His gathering of the elect to be with Him, (in Matt 24:31) the day of the Lord is ushered in It appears then, that Peter understood both Joel's prophecy, and the instructions given in Matt 24, in a very literal, chronological, and interwoven way. While nothing said in Matthew 24, nor in Peter's sermon says that the Lord would NOT return before the tribulation to rapture the church, we should note that nothing said Jesus would return before the tribulation. We do see, however, that a return of Jesus to gather the elect after the tribulation and before the day of the Lord, is spelled out in the clearest of terms, so we KNOW that is going to happen. We should decide which we think is better, to speculate about things that are never said in the Bible, or accept the things which are specifically stated. I prefer the latter, and cannot in good conscience, go with the the speculation approach. This is the end of Peter on the End Times, Part One More Parts may follow, as Peter does have more to say.

I know these pastors, who have "testimonies" that go something like this: "Everything i have is by gifts and offering, there is no time when i needed something that God has not provided" "On my wedding day, i didn't spend a dime" "My car was a gift, my children's school fees is taken care of by the church ..." "My house was a gift from a church member" These are wonderful testimonies, i mean, yes God is our provision... no matter what we do for a living, i personally believe, all we have is given to us by Him (besides, the bible did say so), But each time i hear such things from Pastors, it sounds to me like a very irresponsible way for a man to live. I would think every man should be able to cater for his family... Now, i don't know of those who God gave instructions not to do any work for themselves (like full time missionaries), but for those who don't have instructions from God... It is so extreme that they go into fasting and praying for things like children school fees, car repairs etc and eventually someone from the church brings something, or meets that need... I think it is irresponsible to live that way. I will appreciate your opinion on this.

Do you think leaders in the church ( Pastors, Apostles, Prophets, Elders, Bishops and Deacons ) should be required to get college training in theology? I saw this brought up in another thread. I was wondering how other believers felt about this. Should it be a requirement? If you don't believe that Apostles or Prophets are for today that's fine. I'm not looking to debate that here, please just ignore those 2. Just curious how other Christians are wanting their Church leadership qualified . Can God qualify someone on his own without college training in theology? Is there a concern that college training in theology is just getting the doctrine of men and/or the approval of man? God bless Firestormx

Why is the church divided by denominations? Posted by Omegaman 2.0 on the September 4th, 2007 Why are there so many denominations? Why is the church divided? I see these questions occasionally in chat. They are good questions. It is a question Christians have, especially new believers trying to choose their first church. It is a question non-believers have too. For them, it is evidence that Christians cannot even agree on what the Bible says. Truthfully, they are right. In the chatroom, we see this frequently. We have debates over doctrines and understandings, thankfully most of it is good natured, though often passionate. It is also stimulating intellectually, it drives people to the pages of scripture to see what the bible does indeed say about things, so, these differences can have a positive effect. Imagine if we all agreed! Would that necessarily guarantee we were correct, or could we all agree on the same misunderstandings? Jude 1:17-19 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 that they were saying to you, “In the last time there shall be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. Notice that in the passage above, divisions are not a good thing. Notice though, that Jude says that these people who cause divisions, are mockers who follow their unGodly lusts, and do not have the Spirit. These people, if we were to follow after them, would lead us away from the things of God. If you separate from your brethren to hang instead with your buddies at a bar, that is real division, not to be compared with denominations at all. 1 Cor 11:18-20 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part, I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, in order that those who are approved may have become evident among you. In the above passage, Paul speaks of another kind of division. This one is also not a denominational division, he is addressing division among those gathered together at one place. The passage has a negative feel to it, as though Paul is disapproving of it. You see that in his statement “and in part, I believe it”. Then he goes on to say that these factions have to exist! The reason: So you can distinguish between those who are sound in the faith, and those who do not have approval. Again, in this case, division is a good thing, not a bad thing. So, what is a denomination anyway? Look at the following definitions from Mirriam-Webster Dictionary: 3. NAME, DESIGNATION; especially : a general name for a category 4. A religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices. Didn’t see that one coming did you? Notice that a denomination is a uniting factor, not a dividing factor! There is a running joke between on of the other chat administrators and I, about Calvary Chapels. Calvary Chapels are a group of churches, who are self described as non-denominational. In the definitions above, denomination has to do with the name of something. Calvary Chapels have the name Calvary Chapel - obviously. As far as I know, they are united in their beliefs and practices. Do some CCs sprinkle while others dunk? No. Are there any CCs that teach the Jesus will not return for His church until after the great tribulation? I haven’t heard of one. Are their CC’s that do not believe in the perpetuity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit? I don’t think so. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, chances are it is a duck. So what is going one here? Why would a group of churches, who are united in belief, practice, and name, claim to be non-denominational? I have a theory. I believe that it is about marketing. Denominationalism, has a bad reputation. It smacks of stodgy old ways, inflexibility, to some, it is judgmental, rigid, organized religion. To be non-denominational, is hip. It sounds like you stand apart. It is similar to what we have in the states politically, when you register as a non partisan. It sounds like you are independent - have your own thoughts and views. It makes you different. Of course, in the real world, you are unique, just like everybody else. We have a church near were I live. It used to be called the First Baptist Church, or something like that (I always wondered where the second Baptist church is, but that is another story). Lately, they took down the familiar name plaque, and put up a very colorful one, now it is called Sonlight Christian Center, or some such thing. Marketing again, I suspect, who wants to hang out with Baptists? Of course, they still are Baptists, but they ‘needed’ a hipper name. So, am I against denominations? Am I against independent churches? Am I against churches that say they non-denominational but are not? I am not against any of those things. Let’s look at another passage: 1 Cor 1:10-1310 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? That is a type of denominationalism that is not good. We do what these people are doing when we start gathering around a personality, like an author of a series of books, a famous preacher, or even the teachings of a great theologian from church history. Paul is pointing out, that there is only one church. All those who have been forgiven their sins through Jesus’ sacrifice, are the one church. It matter not what you call the church, who pastors it, who founded it, where it is, what language they speak, which Bible version they prefer, what worship style they employ, or whether they meet in a beautiful building with hardwoods and stained glass, or an old factory, storefront, or even a home. If Christ is preached and they believe the Bible, I am united with them, not divided from them. How can there not be denominations? When their are different countries and languages, customs and tastes, there will be denominations. When everybody belongs to one denomination, all agreeing, you can be sure that something evil or something wonderful has happened. If Jesus has returned for us, then it is something wonderful, until that day, their will be divisions based on preferences, understandings, languages customs, and sadly, even skin color. When you are a mature Christian, you will recognize the oneness of the church and stop focusing on petty differences. Do you give offerings only at your church? If so, why? Are there not other churches that have needs greater than yours? When Paul traveled in the first century, the offering he gathered were for other churches, those who were able, helped those who were needy. That is unity. Giving of your substance to other brothers and sisters, because you recognize that they are family. I am honored to be a part of Worthychat. Here, we come together from around the world. We are of different denominations, yet here, we are united. Do we squabble? Of course we do, what family doesn’t? Most husbands and wives squabble at times, yet, they remain one flesh, a unity. Differences do not mean you are divided, they just mean there are differences. We are human, God made us as individuals, not clones, celebrate the differences. 1 Cor 12:12-2712 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, 24 whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. I would like to end with one final thought (I could go on and on, but I am feeling merciful tonight). People like to gather with others who are like them, the feel comfortable and part of something. Try to be accommodating in that way toward others, make them feel welcomed. But when you go out to look for a church to be part of, you will be tempted to find one, that suits your tastes and your beliefs. I am all for that, but I would like to caution you to keep things in perspective. Sound doctrine is more important that the style of worship or how nice the facilities are. If you try a new church, give it a chance, attend it three times at least, unless in is plainly scripturally unsound. If you have a personal belief about something, and you want to be around others who share that belief, don’t make it the central thing if it is a peripheral issue or not even a scriptural one, find a church that teaches the Bible, as it is, not with massaged meanings to make it fit what you wish it said. It is O.K. to be uncomfortable too, it can stretch and grow you. O.K., so that was two final thoughts, sue me. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy life to read this, now go into the chatroom and join the one body, your brothers and sisters in Christ. Omegaman